The beauty of participating in the OfficeMax/Peter Walsh webcast was that I thought I was the only one participating! Perhaps that’s really because I was alone in my office watching and asking questions.

Peter was his very helpful self and went through the sample products I received in the mail from Officemax, how I should utilize them, and answered questions from a number of women. (Why all women? Men don’t need to organize?)

Of course, I expected to be completely bored halfway through the chat; that is, until Peter stood in front of a very messy desk telling viewers that they’ve “lost” if their desk looks like that one. I looked down at my own desk. Thereafter, I was wrapped up in Peter’s every word…and I think I’ve been saved.

Please welcome Aneesha Constant, our first international momtrepreneur to have joined our Crib Sheets series! Aneesha, a jewelry designer, is Indian from South Africa, living in Thailand and is married to a Frenchman…which makes her our first “tricultural” momtrepreneur as well!

What business did you start up?

Designing, manufacturing and distributing jewelry (mainly silver and cultured pearls) at high-end resorts.
More recently, I have expanded to resort wear and product development (beach bags, beach hats,
designer style T-shirts, yoga wear, hotel uniforms etc.) upon request from my clients.

What motivated you to do it?

I was approached by a high-end hotel while I was on holiday there. The manager noticed the jewelry I was
wearing at the resort and asked where I bought them from. When she learned that I created these pieces,
she offered me a contract to sell at that hotel.

How many children do you have, and how old are they?

I have a son aged 8 and daughter aged 6.

How long have you been running your business?

Six years.

How long did it take you to start becoming profitable and/or successful, however you chose to measure success?

About 3 years.

How did your family react to you starting your own business?

Very supportive.

Easiest part of your job?

To be creative comes naturally.

Hardest part of your job?

Getting the factories to keep up with deadlines and to follow my instructions.

What skill would you most like to improve?

Computer skills.

What, if any, tools or advice do you wish you knew then that you know now?

To go with the flow in Thailand…no use getting stressed and ‘lose face’. Start projects way before the actual due date (at least a year ahead).

What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?

When my designs sell.

Favorite part of a typical day?

When the kids arrive from school and ask the same question everyday, “Where’s Mama?” They hug and kiss me and then disappear in their rooms!

Anything else I should have asked you that you should answer?

Is it difficult to run a company in a foreign country? I don’t speak / read Thai that is good enough to run my company. So, I really need the help of my Thai personal assistant to get by.

Organizational skills / time management? To run a small business, be a mum, wife and do all the other things that is expected of us, we need to be pretty organized and manage time reasonably well.

Following up on projects? I must follow up on projects and factories regularly. They RARELY get back to you.

Can you remember all that you have to do for the day? I make a “to do” list and get things done. I even make a “to get together” list otherwise weeks turn into months!!

I heart Peter Walsh.

Today I received new, free goodies from OfficeMax and their new guru, organizer and Oprah-certified consultant Peter Walsh. I’ll be joining a webcast tomorrow during which time Peter and OfficeMax’s Julie Krueger (who?) will demonstrate how I can explore my new tools.

Let’s see…I got the new InPlace System Kit that includes 5 clip tabs, 1 erasable marker, 1 post-it cube, 1 document wallet, 3 durable file folders, 1 document envelope and 3 document sleeves.

As an organizing junkie, I am beside myself with all these new tools. But the package’s slogan says, “Clearly, a better solution.” But with this pile of stuff, it’s not quite clear to me how this is a better solution. To what? And how?

Stay tuned. I’ll be back after the webcast to discuss.

Attention!

The United States government is giving every momtrepreneur a one-time only no-questions-asked $10,000 tax credit for being you. If you started your business after 2006, or plan to start one in the current tax year, you qualify to receive nearly eleven-thousand bucks for creating a new small business that will contribute to rescuing our weak, limping dog of an economy.

Better yet: all momtrepreneurs will receive a special one-year supply of Obama Administration Diapers (“Change starts at home!”), free membership to the new national children’s hygiene service (The Audacity of Soap), and will be shipped a 1” x 1” piece of Hillary Clinton’s Shattered Glass Ceiling.

Happy times!

(And happy April Fool’s Day.)